Florida has long made a name for itself as the most unpredictable and straight-up dangerous state in the country. From bath salts to strange occurrences, the last year has seen the Sunshine State toppled by one reptile in particular – snakes. And now, according to IFL Science, things are coming to a fever pitch as interspecies mating is leading to a new breed of super snakes.
Decades of escaped Burmese pythons loose in Florida have resulted in cross-breeding and the development of new super snakes.
While invasive pythons have long been a problem in the state where it’s chill to spot an alligator in your backyard or even keep one as a pet, things are beginning to get out of hand as these serpents mix and mingle with one another. Over the last few years, scientists have been keeping an eye on the invasive population, realizing that the Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) and Indian pythons (P. molurus) have been mating with one another to create what can only be described as a super snake. And, as Darwinism has taught us, the combination of the two pythons is making them even more able to withstand the unstable weather that Florida is known for.
The super snakes started developing in the 1970s when the exotic pet trade boomed in Florida.
Essentially, this is an all-points bulletin for the people of Florida to not only watch where they step but also to ensure that they’re keeping a close eye on their pets. In just one decade, the area surrounding the Everglades has seen a massive drop in the numbers of mammals, including foxes, rabbits, and cottontail rabbits, as the super snakes have been growing in the shadows. Even in 2012, a study reported that the Everglades’ raccoon population dipped a whopping 99.3 percent, with the opossum population dropping 98.9 percent and the bobcat population 87.5 percent in just 15 years.
So, how did the pythons from other tropical forests arrive abroad in the United States – specifically in Florida? For the most part, we have humanity to thank for the super snake infestation, as back in the 1970s, a particular group of people couldn’t help themselves when it came to tapping into the exotic pet trade. When the animals would become too large or unruly (which was very often the case), they would be let out on their own, thus inhabiting the surrounding area.
Over the last few years, scientists have been keeping an eye on the invasive population, realizing that the Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) and Indian pythons (P. molurus) have been mating with one another to create what can only be described as a super snake.
In some ways, all roads lead back to Netflix’s insane docuseries, Tiger King, as the trading and keeping of exotic animals is a piece of the pie that drove the show to become the global obsession that it became. Along with Joe Exotic’s tigers and alligators, audiences saw footage of other animal collectors with giant pythons. Outside of the part humans have played in the super snake boom, and there are also hurricanes to blame – specifically, 1992’s Hurricane Andrew, which tore apart an ophidian breeding facility, unleashing snakes into the wild.
For Floridians with a healthy fear of reptiles – specifically these super snakes – the news doesn’t get any better as scientists have said on multiple occasions that the problem will likely get worse before it gets better. As the two breeds mate, their best characteristics are passed down, meaning they’re wiser, stronger, and more resilient than before, making this reptilian problem a long-lasting one for Florida.
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